DJ House Shoes: From Detroit to L.A.

Michael Buchanan’s moniker is dj house shoes, a product of Detroit, Michigan, Shoes is like a Chevy V8 – an American original. He is rugged and sturdy, rough around the edges, but dependable and the kind of person that an entire movement builds around. Born and raised in Southfield, Michigan, Lathrup Village to be exact, an area of town Shoes remembers as being “lilly white.” In 1984, he fell in love with hip hop. In Grade 5, Shoes ran the streets with Ron, a schoolmate from New York – Ron’s uncle is Father MC. By the time Shoes reached Grade 6 and Grade 7, he became a hip hop junkie, hanging around the local record stores and seeking knowledge on all the newest releases.

In 11th grade, Shoes became aware to the fact that White Label promo 12″s were the first avenues to get music out that would not be released until a until a further date. After high school, Shoes went to college at Eastern Michigan University, where he spun at wild parties on campus. Eventually, the parties led to the hallways of the dormitories where, one time, Shoes was accused of setting a cork message board on fire – Shoes was expelled from school! He would never return to post-secondary education. According to Shoes, expulsion was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He received tables from a friend and began building his rep in the area. He saw this as an opportunity to bolster his standing within the burgeoning hip hop scene. He took the remainder of his college tuition and went on a focused spending spree, digging in crates for over one month to boost his collection with every must have jam, keeping club goers happy and dance floors packed. Immediately after being hired St. Andrews Shoes firmly cemented himself as one of the premier DJ’s on the Detroit hip hop scene.

In 1994, the beginning of what Shoes calls the best time of his youth, Shoes remembers the time he first met Dilla, while working at Street Corner Music while digging for vinyl. Shoes remembers a young Dilla, at the time known as Jay Dee, playing him some of his production tapes and Shoes absolutely lost his mind to meet someone from his city that was so dope – even better than anyone he ever heard. From that moment on he and Dilla forged a bond that would last a lifetime. Shoes also worked at Car City and Melody & Memories in 1997 and would then get a job with Record Time in 1998, a local record store, where Shoes worked for five years. These jobs enabled Shoes to have first dibs on all the hot new music and it placed him in an important position amongst his peers.

Shoes vividly recalls the day Japanese customers came into the store looking for exclusive Detroit sounds. As they made their purchases, Shoes placed a copy of a Slum Village demo, “Fantastic Volume One,” in their bag (as Shoes did with several other customers). The tapes were in the store on consignment and Shoes gave away as many copies as possible and Slum Village were paid for each of the copies – a straight hook up! Little did Shoes know, this tape fell in the hands of someone who could see and appreciate the talents of the Detroit rap group. The Japanese man called back to the number on the cassette, a deal was struck and Slum Village got the break they were looking for. Their first 12-inch was “Fantastic” / “I Don’t Know” released on Sudden Impact Records, distributed in Japan. It was followed up by the 12-inch “Players/ “Players (remix b/w Webe dem/2u4u)” on Sudden Impact Records.

What’s known today as the Detroit hip hop movement had started and Shoes was a key component in making it happen. Shoes spent time at WHFR on Saturday afternoons, chilling and talking shit with Josh, on the radio, before he would head to the Hip Hop Shop. He remembers these times as good old days. This was the same time that every aspiring hip hop fan, in the city, was congregating at the Hip Hop Shop. A small boutique owned by fashion designer Maurice Malone. The Hip Hop Shop is the spot where the epicenter of today’s world’s famous Detroit hip hop personalities would gather on a regular basis to sharpen their skills and kick it. J.Dilla would come threw and crack skulls whenever he would drop his cassette in the player and flash that now infamous smile.

Everyone knew they were about to be blessed with something special and Shoes never disappointed. Shoes remembers getting faded driving down the Lodge, where Obie Trice was shot, dipping in and out of traffic on his way to the Drews. Shoes was the resident DJ at “Drews” for over ten years (1994-2005). Shoes recalls packing 600 people in the club on a regular basis. Party people would wild out to the sounds of BlackMoon, Pete Rock, Group Home and, as he says, “All the grimey good shit.” Shoes was also known to drop an unheard single on the turntables and immediately take it off and smash it over his knee in front of the whole crowd if he felt it was wack. Shoes set the tone for what was and wasn’t to be accepted in the Detroit HipHop scene. DJ Dez, DJ Head and Shoes were the official sound selectors of the movement. Phat Kat, Lapeace, Que D, Proof and Eminem were the voices. There was definitely a fire burning in the bellies of these young hip hop hopefuls. Each individual was aspiring to be the next immortalized on wax like the rappers and DJs they grew up listening to.

Different rappers from around the way often fell into the record store to play Shoes new demos. Shoes was moved on the day Phat Kat paid him a visit. It was incredible and Shoes knew it. Released in 1999, the a-side contained the track entitled “Dedication to the Suckas” and the b-side featured “Don’t Nobody Care About Us.” It was a classic. Saavy enough to realize the opportunity he had before him. Shoes decided to take the lead and the single was released on fat beats. Shoes would also create HouseShoes Records distributed by fat beats.

Shoes in conjunction with Peanut Butter Wolf later released Jay Dee’s unreleased remixes and seven joints in limited press (1,500 copies on blue vinyl). The second limited edition pressing of 1,500 copies on green vinyl sold out, too. Followed by Houseshoes Collection Vol.1 in released in 2004, displayed an assortment of Shoes productions and remixes of Detroit artist. Live at The Buddah Lounge released in 2005 was a best of hip hop break beats spun for a live crowd at his weekly hangout. All released on Houseshoes Records. He says he’s just heating up. Looking back on it, Shoes recalls 1995 and 1996 as being the best years of his life, but he’s looking forward to the future.

After 10 years of being the backbone of Detroit’s music and losing two very close friends Dilla and Proof, shoes was feeling too much pressure to carry the torch. In the fall of 2006, Shoes moved from Detroit to L.A. pursuing some personal goals. At this time in his life, it’s finally about him and not so much the city. The movement will always live within him and he can’t separate himself from that nor does he want to. In a time when he couldn’t see the forest from the trees he did what a real general would do, he took a moment to regroup. Allowing himself time to clearly process all that has taken place over the course of the last 12 months and to situate himself accordingly. “It was time for me, to do me,” says Shoes. He had spent the last ten years of his life holding down everyone else, now was the time for Shoes to look out for himself.

Ask Shoes about L.A. and he says, “L.A. is beautiful. It’s off the hook. There is always something to do. In Detroit there might be two or three real hip hop shows a month. In L.A., “It’s something crackin’ everyday.” By no means has Shoes forgotten about his Michigan roots. He migrates back to Detroit every other month since he left to DJ gigs and connect with his home base. Thanks to MySpace, he stays in touch with everyone there on a daily basis. “Myspace is the shit. I ain’t no computer dude or nothin. I just started messing with the internet two years ago, but Myspace is incredible!”

Shoes uses the Internet to police the world of supposed Dilla fans that bootleg his music on websites around the world. In his spare time Shoes has taken it upon himself to lookout for his homeboy and search the Internet for any and all Dilla misappropriations. Shutting down operations and promising all violators a good old fashioned Detroit beat down. Those who know Shoes from his popular site (myspace.com/djhouseshoes) may have read his blogs on his life and unappreciative and misguided Dilla fans. He writes about fans pilfering his mans drum kits on popular websites like okayplayer.com. Recently, Shoes comments in a blog concerning this situation:

“I HAVE SEEN THE LIGHT…YALL THINK THAT POSTING DILLAS DRUMKITS IS SOME TYPE OF WAY TO HONOR HIM IN A FORUM DEDICATED TO HIM. AND THIS THEFT OF HIS SHIT SHOULD BE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AND SPREAD AMONGST OKPS EVERYWHERE. OK…. THAT’S SWEET. COCKSUCKAS…. IT’S A SLAP TO THE FACE OF DILLA AND ANYONE WHO TRULY HAS RESPECT FOR HIM. AND THAT IS WHAT THE FUCK ALL THIS STEMS FROM. COMPLETE LACK OF RESPECT FOR THE MAN ALL YALL SUPPOSEDLY LOVE SO MUCH. Y’ALL MAKE ME THROW UP IN MY MOUTH. I’M ALMOST DONE WITH THIS … ALMOST….”

But not before he sees Detroit hip hop fully receive its proper due. Since Dilla’s passing, his posthumous release, The Shining, has gone on to be his biggest selling release to date, giving light to one of Detroit’s veteran sensations Guilty Simpson. He is featured on a track from The Shining titled Jungle Love. Dilla’s still putting in work even in his physical absence. But just as nature is never failing, where there is a void it will be filled by something new and often improved. A bright light is shining out of Detroit. The cream is rising.

Shoes lists Black Milk (on Fat Beat Records), Guilty Simpson (recently signed to Stones Throw), and Wajeed of Bling47 as three of Detroit’s finest to step up and carry the torch. There are a lot of dope artist coming up, like Marv One, Raw Collection, Lo Down, SamIAm, and DAKim, that are doing there part to put Detroit and the whole Midwest hip hop scene in its’ rightful position.

Shoes is busy spreading the gospel of Detroit all around the world. Spinning gigs on a regular basis. He is also planning a 10 year anniversary re-release of Jay Dee’s unreleased remixes and wants to donate all the proceeds to Ma Dukes (a company Dilla’s mom started as a way to pay Dilla’s heaping hospital bills, his publishing and future releases). He has plans to release a Vol.2 of his famous Houseshoes Collection, a compilation of his productions with various emcees from Detroit and his new L.A .crew. Shoes has been welcomed with open arms by L.A.’s All-Star crew including Peanut Butter Wolf and Stones Throw. Egon, Madlib, or “Otis” as he call’s him Rhettmatic, J Rocc, Roc C and Oh No. Look out for those releases along with a re-release of Dilla’s rare overseas album “The Ruff Draft” coming in March 2007.